Between exploring the Dire Wolf Rift and the Final Showdown against the True Jotnar giant, there were three days and nights of brutal, arduous work, so much so that the entire technician team was told to rest, even as the battle raged on. Adam didn't need exhausted zombies fumbling around his delicate defense strategy, which he had perfected through no fewer than seventy sacred simulations, making even his Script Monks scream from overwork.
Whatever card he had in hand, Adam played it in the most efficient and brutal way possible, to such a degree that the infirmary was already receiving patients before the Jotnar showed up, purely from sheer exhaustion.
Starting from the day they besieged the Wolf Hill in what became officially known as the Rift World and their discovery of the Soviet Nuclear Submarine, all the way to planning and sending a team to use the nuclear warheads against the "Source of Freeze" could only be summed up as a "huge undertaking." For this to be possible, several steps were taken; the most important of them were:
The eradication of the Dire Wolf populace in the nearby Rift and the capture of the Dire Wolf Alpha, ensuring that the Rift wouldn't close before they collected the warheads.
Securing and containing the Nuclear Submarine. To do that, they had to brute-force the hatch open as well as every blast door inside the submarine.
After confirming that the warheads existed (eight of them, as Ajax stated), the Script Monks were called from Earth into the Rift to study and exorcise any "harmful energies." Incense and prayers were used to invoke the protection rites before the monks procured hazmat suits for the mechanical team from God-knows-where.
Technical issues arose as mechanics and monks debated liberating warheads from the submarine. Cranes and scaffolding were impossible, and Adam's Warwolf, though strong, was ill-suited for such tasks. A new machine was required.
The Harbinger Gunship entered the scene; Adam had to leave the Rift operation and go back to base personally to see this one through. The Harbinger was not just a gunship or an orbital drop starcraft; it was a gunship x drop ship x bomber x capable fighter craft. This was Adam's answer to the transportation of the warheads.
With the warheads secured, Adam wanted a target for a one-sided game of nuclear football. However, after consulting everyone, Professor Hendrick told Adam something that made immediate sense to him, prompting him to look for the Rift Gate that spawned the True Jotnar in the world, only to realize it was 250 miles away in Montreal.
For it not to fail mid-mission, building an anti-Freeze technology was vital, solely relying on RuneTech and SolTech, which became Adam's prototype Rune Artifact.
Lastly, getting it on the Harbinger along with Ajax's team and the warheads, entrusting the fate of humanity to them, and sending them off to do the deed while others stood their ground and defended the base.
So while it seemed an eight-step plan, and with the fact that plans often go wrong before they are halfway through their initial phase, it was safe to say that this eight-step plan was actually a two- or three-step plan at first, but complications arose from every conceivable angle, making its eventual completion a miracle in itself. In light of that, the following is how some of these steps unfolded.
AFTER-ACTION REPORT
Glory to Sol Imperius, Star Child of the Holy Sun.
ORGANIZATION: Company of Springhead, MA
DATE OF OPERATION: 23/FEB/Y1PA – 24/FEB/Y1PA
REPORTING OFFICER: SGT-P Elena Skarn
TO: Springhead Command
SUBJECT: Operation Dire Wolf Eradication & Strategic Asset Recovery AAR
I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
At 0700 hours, elements of the Springhead Expeditionary Force inserted into the Rift World under the operational plan authored by CPT Justiciar Adam Clay. Primary objectives included tactical reconnaissance, area clearance, and elimination of indigenous hostiles. During operations, mission priorities shifted following the discovery of a high-value Earthling tactical asset, resulting in a successful dual-objective outcome: neutralization/capture of the leadership of the local fauna and recovery of strategic weaponry.
ATTACHMENTS: [01] Rift World Terrain & Expeditionary Grid Map; [02] Updated Hostile Behavioral Analysis Brief.
II. CHRONOLOGICAL TIMELINE & INCIDENT REPORTS23/FEB/Y1PA
0700 – INITIAL INSERTION & CONTACT
Immediate contact was established with multiple hostile entities upon arrival.
Designation:Dire Wolf
Outcome: Hostile extermination. Area secured.
1100 – SUBWAY HILL SIEGE & ASSET DISCOVERY
Expeditionary force located a subterranean monster den within a central hill formation. Heavy bombardment was initiated. Minor entities fled the target area; primary target (Dire Wolf Alpha) was not observed.
Simultaneously, forces discovered a stranded Earthling submarine vessel embedded in the opposing slope. Joint consultation with Allied US Staff Sergeant Ajax Wills confirmed the vessel housed city-killer-grade strategic ordnance.
CPT Adam Clay immediately issued an operational priority shift to secure and assess the ordnance. An initial technical survey was conducted under the leadership of SGT-P Skarn.
Outcome: Presence confirmed — Eight (8) missile-attachable nuclear warheads intact.
1230 – REVISED ENGAGEMENT PARAMETERS (TARGET: ALPHA)
Per advisory from Paladin Captain Solomon Creed, the elimination directive for Dire Wolf Alpha was amended to tactical capture due to intelligence suggesting host-entity death could trigger premature sealing of the local Rift Gate.
Joint command executed a perimeter smokeout operation. Target materialized along with elite force elements.
Designations:Wolf King (Primary Target) / Lycan Royal Guard (Anthropoid-Lupine variants).
Action: Command elements supported by men-at-arms engaged and neutralized the guard contingent. Entities attempting to ape the image of humanity and Sol Imperius were purged. Primary target (Wolf King) was subjected to selective dismemberment and subdual.
Outcome: Target captured. Initial deep-tissue diagnostic scans confirmed the presence of a Seed of Light within the target's neural cavity.
1400 – ASSET EXTRACTION & SCRIPTORIAL INTERFACE
Extraction of the submarine's payload commenced. CPT Clay transmitted a priority request via Sacred Beacon for specialized support equipment. Field elements initiated hull penetration using blazers cutters.
Reinforcements arrived via Brother Solnar and Sister Solana, providing anointed hazmat equipment and ritualistic/technical guidance. Inter-departmental friction immediately arose between Scriptorium monks and field engineers regarding hull cutting protocol.
Operational Note / Observation: Processing time was severely degraded by Scriptorium nitpicking. RECOMMENDATION: Issue a formal recall/standing advisement for all non-combatant Scriptorium personnel during active combat-zone technical extractions.
1630 – HOSTILE RE-ENGAGEMENT & PERIMETER INCIDENT
Audible blazer fire reported along the exterior perimeter. Hostile remnants launched a counter-offensive led by an oversized anthropoid wolf entity targeting CPT Clay directly. CPT Clay dispatched the entity in close-quarters combat prior to mounting his Warwolf, relying on his Bending Rune manipulation.
Concurrently, juvenile wolves attempted an infiltration maneuver to free the captive Wolf King. CPL-in-Arms Kave ("The Brave") intercepted and eliminated the breach force in hand-to-hand engagement.
Outcome: Hostile breach repelled. One (1) juvenile entity escaped off-grid.
Disciplinary Note: CPL Kave intentionally permitted the escape, citing in his native dialect that he was "triggering the creature's guilt & training arc." Incident noted for review.
24/FEB/Y1PA
1900 – STRATEGIC ASSET EXTRACTION
CPT Clay returned from base camp commanding a Corvette-class Harbinger Gunship bearing Earth Legion livery.
Vessel Condition: No offensive armaments, but fully operational thrusters, primary reactor, and heavy-duty winch/power cabling array installed.
Using the vessel's lifting power and field plasma blazers, field engineers successfully severed and salvaged the submarine's complete missile-launching array in lieu of waiting for specialized launch pods.
III. SUMMARY OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Hostile den cleared; Alpha target (Wolf King) neutralized and secured for research.
Eight (8) city-killer-grade warheads and original launch housing secured.
Seed of Light asset identified and secured.
[END OF REPORT]
LEASH Network
> SOLTECH AUTHORIZATION GRANTED — LICENSED ELECTRONIC ACCESS & SECURITY HANDSET (LEASH)
> PROGRAMS INSTALLED… ≫ Sollinux_OS_XFCE ≫ BLESSED USER OVERLAYING ≫ GLOBAL PRIVACY PARAMETERS ≫ EOS SECURITY UPLINK ≫ MANDATORY CALL & LOCATOR ≫ CHATAPP_EXECUTABLE ≫ SANDBOX_EXECUTABLE ≫ JUKEBOX_EXECUTABLE
> INITIALIZING — CHATBOX_EXECUTABLE…
> CHANNEL OPEN…
> INVITATION SENT
ADAMANT — Hello, World!
> INVITATION ACCEPTED — MAGGPIE HAS JOINED THE CHAT
MAGGPIE — OMG!!!
MAGGPIE — Sonovabitch! You made social media the moment you got your grubby little hands on a grimdark phone.
ADAMANT — What do U mean little hands? They are perfectly normal! NORMAL! :RightHand: :LeftHand:
MAGGPIE — :ROFL::ROFL::ROFL:
MAGGPIE — You even made emojis! What's next? Reels and stories?
> SOLIMPE HAS JOINED THE CHAT
SOLIMPE — RIUS BE PRAISED! GLORY TO THE SOLARIUM!
MAGGPIE — The fuck? Who's that?
SOLIMPE — What in Sol's name is this heresy? Why do you use sacred communication channels without proper invocations?
MAGGPIE — Oh, it's her. :Grumpy:
ADAMANT — It's Sister Solana.
MAGGPIE — Why would you invite her?
ADAMANT — I didn't. I guess she's monitoring all Sacred Code communications and just invited herself in our channel.
SOLIMPE — Sol Imperius Be Praised! Glory to the Solarium.
SOLIMPE — Please conduct proper invocation before use of sacred code communication channels.
ADAMANT — Actually, since we are running Sacred User Overlaying protocols, all user actions are pre-invoked in the background. The OS simply omits them for the sake of having a cleaner UI.
SOLIMPE — This is unacceptable, Brother Commander.
SOLIMPE — Sol Imperius Be Praised! Glory to the Solarium!
SOLIMPE — Invoking his name every time you use his sacred will is the least respect you can show for the Patron of Humanity. It is the sweetest words your fingers would ever type.
ADAMANT — You almost forgot the invocation this time.
SOLIMPE — I did not.
MAGGPIE — She totally did. :face with tears of joy:
SOLIMPE — No! And I am currently fuming with anger.
MAGGPIE — You can just use emojis like those :enraged face: :pouting cat:
> INVITATION ACCEPTED — KAVE689 HAS JOINED THE CHAT
KAVE689 — PSI! GTS! OMG! You absolute mad lad! You made a group chat the first thing you did after getting a grimdark phone.
KAVE689 — I'm inviting Elena.
MAGGPIE — That's what I said.
> INVITATION ACCEPTED — ELSKARN HAS JOINED THE CHAT
ELSKARN — typing…
SOLIMPE — Praised Be Sol Imperius! Glory to the Solarium!
SOLIMPE — Brother Trooper! How can a zealot adherent such as yourself use a sacred interface without invocation?
KAVE689 — I did! PSI! GTS!
MAGGPIE — :upside-down face:
ADAMANT — This brother in Sol has acronymed the prayers.
ELSKARN — typing…
ADAMANT — What's wrong with Elena?
KAVE689 — She's totally new to this texting thing. She's fumbling her fingers all over the tiny keyboard; usually she's very good with them.
MAGGPIE — Addie's raccoon fingies are pretty handy too. :hot face:
ADAMANT — STOP CALLING THEM THAT! :face with symbols on mouth:
ADAMANT — Wait!
ADAMANT — Why are you calling @elskarn's fingers good, @kave689?
MAGGPIE — Probably because she has lesbian hands.
ADAMANT — TF? :face with raised eyebrow:
MAGGPIE — You know… :backhand index pointing right: :OK hand:
ELSKARN — typing…
ELSKARN — huehoferklphtudgfbrafuv
KAVE689 — She's super frustrated, guys!
MAGGPIE — Show her the emoji bar! Save the poor LEASH.
ELSKARN — :exploding head:
MAGGPIE — Yeah, gurl! Explode them heads and slay! :kitchen knife:
MAGGPIE — How are you doing?
ELSKARN — :melting face:
MAGGPIE — You guys in the submarine still plasma-cutting its guts?
ELSKARN — :head shaking vertically:
MAGGPIE — Adam is still working on the Harbinger Gunship in the Star Hangar.
MAGGPIE — You can just take a breather out in the Rift; I heard it's not cold-ass winter over there.
ELSKARN — :backhand index pointing right:
ELSKARN — :OK hand:
ELSKARN — :smirking face:
MAGGPIE — :astonished face:
MAGGPIE — You guys did it in the submarine?
KAVE689 — Yep.
ELSKARN — 👨 :woman blonde hair: :man curly hair: :woman red hair:
MAGGPIE — Holy shit! They are doing foursomes!
ADAMANT — True heresy right there, @solimpe!
MAGGPIE — Red hair? That's supposed to be Yvonne?
MAGGPIE — You guys did it with Fish and Chips?
MAGGPIE — In a Soviet Submarine? :exploding head:
KAVE689 — Yep.
ELSKARN — :winking face:
SOLIMPE — Praised Be Sol Imperius! Glory to… THAT'S IT! I'M BRINGING OVER THE BROTHER PALADIN! :enraged face:
ADAMANT — Oh, look! Solana learned that all caps is shouting aloud.
MAGGPIE — And she used an emoji too! That's it, girl's channel is now a thing, no boys allowed.
KAVE689 — Honestly, I'm surprised Adam just added Chat to the Sacred Code and he found no old chats you girls did.
MAGGPIE — Ikr! lmao!
ELSKARN — :ROFL:
> HMRGURD HAS JOINED THE CHAT
KAVE689 — Gulping audibly!
MAGGPIE — Mom really did call for dad.
ADAMANT — HMRGURD, though? What a name! And here I thought my name was the coolest.
KAVE689 — Why is it that all who have to join must have a name of only 7 characters, though?
ADAMANT — System limitations; it was too much to try and break around.
HMRGURD — Praise be, and greetings!
HMRGURD — Because this form of communication channel was meant for localized encrypted networks between small teams, to enforce a short code name mindset, it was limited to seven characters, by order of Solwoken Amun-Ra.
SOLIMPE — Brother Paladin, this is an urgent matter.
SOLIMPE — Praise be!
SOLIMPE — Those Legio Bellarium troopers have been using a sacred communication channel to casually converse through the sacred programming sphere of the LEASH machines.
ADAMANT — Come on, Solana. I thought we're sisters. Girl power!
MAGGPIE — Hey, guys. I'm Adam here. Magpie just swapped LEASHes with me because she said I made mine in the color she likes.
KAVE689 — Classic!
HMRGURD — Sister Solana, I have reviewed the said communication, and while I agree with your sentiment, departmental struggles shouldn't reach past certain points. Since they are tampering with spiritual powers, they will have to bear their spiritual consequences. Someone like me has no direct say.
KAVE689 — I agree completely. Let those heretics know they will burn.
HMRGURD — However, I've always been a patron of company communications like these.
KAVE689 — … is it me or is Lord Creed having FOMO?
HMRGURD — What is FOMO?
ADAMANT — Whatever it is, you can slay it, Lord Slayer Paladin. :kitch knife:
HMRGURD — Right you are, Adam Clay. Sol willing I will.
ADAMANT — I am Megan.
KAVE689 — Guys, wanna see something fun?
MAGGPIE — Define fun.
KAVE689 — :alien monster: :smiling face with horns: :robot:
ADAMANT — Sonovabitch!
ELSKARN — :fearful face:
MAGGPIE — :unamused face:
HMRGURD — Is this what FOMO is?
SOLIMPE — HERESY!
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